Our Lent Observence

Our Lenten Garden

Our faith community doesn't celebrate Lent, instead we have Fast Sunday the first Sunday of every month when we fast for two meals and donate the money we would have spent on food to those in our community who are hungry.

I still love the idea of Lent though and being Waldorfers, we choose to celebrate it. 

Above is our Lenten Garden. A box of soil, a twig for a tree, a stone, some pine cones, one large white candle and six small candles. Everyday we water the soil, keeping it moist. Six days before Easter we will light one candle each night, from the large candle and let it burn all the way down. A few days before Easter we will sprinkle the dirt with grass seed and on Easter morning (or there abouts) we should see green sprouts shooting up from the earth and we will decorate the twig tree with tissue paper butterflies, representing transformation.

For Lent I am again giving up yelling, but not just at the kids or dog, I am giving up yelling period. No yelling across the house, no yelling down the hall, no yelling when I'm mad. 

I'm also giving up the "W"s. You know;

"Why are your clothes on the floor!?"

"Who left the door open!?"

"What on earth are you doing!?"

It's one day in and it's hard. LOL I yelled at the dog to get off the couch before I caught myself first thing this morning.

I look forward to seeing the progress God helps me make these 40 days, the good example of struggling toward eternal progression that my children will see, and real change that I hope to make. 

My eldest is giving up dessert (a tough one he's already asked to back out of) and my middle child has given up using what he calls "face words." He often will reply "In your face!" when he is mad. We'll see how we all do.

We are also going to join Ann Voskamp and her children in memorizing the Sermon on the Mount. More on that later :)

What are you doing for Lent? How does Lent make you feel?